Nepal's radical Maoists on a rampage to stop elections

by Kalpit Parajuli

Assaults, arson and bombings are reported across the country. Two buses are bombed in the capital, critically injuring three passengers. On 19 November, Nepalis are called to elect a new Constituent Assembly. Ahead in the polls, Nepal's Maoist party is embroiled in a scandal over leader Prachanda's passion for luxury and excess.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - Radical Maoist groups are involved in a violent
campaign to prevent elections on 19 November. Led
by a former Maoist official, Mohan Baidhya, they have carried out violent
actions across the country, including ambushes, vandalism, arson and bombs.

Yesterday alone, public and private buses were attacked, in one case in Kathmandu
with a bomb. In this incident, which occurred in Samakhus, near central
Kathmandu, nine people were seriously injured, three critically with burns on more
than 50 per cent of the body.

Another bus with 50 people on board was attacked in the Siraha District
when a group of extremists threw a petrol bomb. In this
case, everyone was able to escape without injuries.

Elections are coming next week after five years of political chaos and four
coalition governments, which proved unable to draft a democratic constitution
after centuries of Hindu monarchy.

Nepal's main political parties, the Congress Party (conservative) and Unified
Communist Party of Nepal(Maoist) or UCPN(M), told voters that once in power
they would draft a constitution within a year.

UCPN(M) President Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, is best poised to win.
However, he and his party's leadership have come under fire for their lavish
lifestyle, a far cry from their ideals of social change,
economic growth and lasting peace.

Prachanda and his family especially have come in for heavy criticism. "That
family just loves to spend, whether it's Prachanda blowing money on hair gel or
Rolex watches, his wife buying saris all the time or his son Prakash, obsessed
with changing his mobile phone every two weeks," said Bishnu Pariyar, a
former guerrilla fighter who became one of Prachanda's aides.